Manually operated rotary brush for vacuum cleaner hose nozzles



Dec. 7, 1954 w. HALL 2,696,017

MANUALLY OPERATED ROTARY BRUSH FOR VACUUM CLEANER HOSE NOZZLES FiledAug. 9, 1950 V EZ 32 INVENTOR. .30 26 /7 3 C' BYQZS W Hall ATTORNEY l IlUnited States Patent O MANUALLY GPERATED ROTARY BRUSH FOR VACUUM CLEANERHOSE NOZZLES Lois W. Hall, Wichita, Kans.

Application August 9, 1950, Serial No. 178,492

2 Claims. (Cl. 15-388) My invention relates to an improvement inmanually operated rotary brushes for vacuum cleaner hose nozzles.

In vacuum cleaners of the type that have a vacuum or suction developingunit from which extends a flexible hose that connects to one end of arigid suction tube which carries on the other end thereof a suctioncleaner nozzle, there is no way of delivering power to the nozzle toturn a brush or beater therein, consequently rotary brushes and beatershave not been employed in such nozzles even though they might be veryadvantageous and would very materially increase the cleaning ability ofthe cleaner machine.

In view of the foregoing described situation I have provided my improvedvacuum cleaner hose nozzle in which I have included a rotary brush thatis operable in the area or field of air travel created by the suction ofthe machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the kindmentioned in which is included a means for cleaning the brush of hair,lint and other material that might be picked up by the brush andretained thereon if there1 were no way of removing the material from therus A still further object of the invention is to provide a device ofthe kind mentioned that is highly efficient, one that is simple inconstruction and easy to operate, one that is inexpensive, durable andlong lived. These and other objects of the invention will be more fullyexplained as this description progresses.

Now referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar numerals ofreference designate the same parts throughout the several figures of thedrawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner machine of the kindmentioned and showing my improved rotary brush type cleaner nozzle inworking position on the rigid suction tube.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the cleaner nozzle, the end housing cap beingremoved to show the working parts of the device.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the device,the view being as seen from the line III- III in Fig. 2, and looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the nozzle structure, the view beingas seen from the line IV-IV in Fig. 3 and looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

In the drawings is shown the vacuum or suction developing unit 6 towhich is connected one end of a flexible suction hose 7. The other endof the suction hose 7 is connected to one end of a rigid suction tube 8.The other end of the tube 8 is detachably attached to, and opens into afitting 9 that is an integral part of the nozzle case N.

The nozzle case N comprises an elongated housing element 10 havingdownwardly curved front and rear portions 11 and 12 the lower edgeportions of which return toward the central longitudinal portion of thehousing N an integrally join with vertically positioned andlongitudinally disposed wall elements 11a and 12a that are spaced apartand the ends thereof integrally join end walls 13 and 14 that also arean integral part of the housing N. The side walls 11a and 12a end walls13 and 14 and upper housing wall 10 define an elongated open bottomsuction chamber C into which the hollow of the tting 9 opens at theupper central portion thereof.

In the suction chamber C is positioned a cylindrical brush bristleholder 15 that is rigidly mounted on an y assenti Patented Dec. 7, 1954iaxle shaft 16, the outer ends of which revolvably pass through bearingelements B that are slidably carried in vertically positioned slots suchas 1'7 that are positioned one in the central portion of each end wall13 and 14.

Each bearing element B is provided with a flange portion B that is apart of, or is rigidly fixed on the inner end of the bearing element Band covers the bearing receiving slot 17 to prevent air passing throughthe slot 17 and into the suction chamber C when air is being drawn fromthe suction chamber C by the suction machine 6, therefore all the airentering the suction chamber C must enter through the open bottomthereof and come either through or across the top of the rug or surfacebeing cleaned.

On each end of the axle shaft 16 is rigidly mounted a driven roller 18.At each end of the housing N is a pair of supporting arms 19 and 2l) theupper ends of which overlap each other and are positioned one againstthe other. The upper end portion of each arm 19 and 20 has an elongatedand longitudinally positioned slot 21 therein and through which a screwpin 22 is slidably passed and is threaded one in each end wall 13 and 14above the slot 17 and on the center longitudinal axis thereof. On thelower end portion of each arm 19 and 20 is revolvably carried a roller23 and 24 that bear against opposite sides of the driven roller 18. Theextreme lower ends of the arms 19 and 20 bend to substantially avertical position and have an outwardly extending pin 25' thereon and towhich one end of a helical spring 26 is attached. The other end of thehelical spring 26 is attached to another pin 27 that is rigidly mountedon the lower portion of the end walls 13 and 14.

The housing N is supported on two pairs of supporting wheels such asshown at 28 and 29 that are carried, one pair by each end wall 13 and 14and on axle pins 3l? that are threaded into the end walls 13 and 14. Thewheels 28 and 29 are so spaced apart that the driven roller 18 is in acentered portion between the supporting wheels 28 and Z9 so as to leaveequal open spaces between the supporting wheel 28 and me driven roller18, and between the driven roller 18 and the supporting wheel 29, andthe width of these open spaces is less than the diameter of the idlerrollers 23 and 24, so that as the springs 26 pull the supporting arms 19and 20 downwardly the idler rollers 23 and 24 will bear, one on thesupporting wheel 28 and the driven roller 18 and the other idler roller24 will bear on the supporting wheel 29 and the driven roller 18, and asthe axle shaft 16 may move up or down, its relative position to thesupporting wheels 28 and 29 will change but the idler rollers 23 and 24will always retain their contact and pressure on their respectivesupporting wheel 28 or 29 and the driven roller 18.

Each pair of supporting wheels 28 and 29 are provided with a tractionbelt 3l) that extends therearound and from one to the other.

The cylindrical brush bristle holder 15 is provided with one or morespiral rows of bristle tufts 31 therearound that are adapted to engagethe lloor or rug 32 as the brush revolves.

In the suction chamber C is a comb element 33 that extends the lengththereof and is centrally' positioned therein and is rigidly attached tothe upper wall 10 of the housing N, by means of screws 34 that passthrough the upper turned back leg of the comb 33, and are threaded intothe upper wall 18 of the housing B. The relation of the tufts ofbristles 31 to the comb 33 is such that as the brush revolves thebristles 31 will engage the teeth of the comb 33 so that hair, strings,lint and the like will be cleaned from the brush and caught in thesuction draft of the machine and pass through the suction pipe 8 and oninto the dirt trap or bag in the cleaner machine.

Each end of the housing B is provided with a housing cap 36 that coversthe wheels and rollers on each end of the suction nozzle N and isattached to the end portions of the suction nozzle N by means of screws37 that pass through the edge of the housing cap 36 and thread into theend portion of the suction nozzle N. The nozzle device is supported onthe two pairs of supporting wheels and traction belt 30 which rests onthe oor or rug 32 that is to be cleaned.

To use the device the suction unit 6 is started or put into action inthe usual manner to develop a suction -that sets up a strong draft ofair that is drawn from across or through the rug 32 into the suctionchamber C and through the rigid tube 8 and flexible suction hose 7, andinto the dirt catcher and holder in the suction developing machine inthe usual manner.

The air flow having been set up as above described, the nozzle N may nowbe guided and pushed and pulled forward and backwards across the flooror rug 32. ln moving the nozzle N backwards and forwards across the rug32 the traction belt 30 will revolve the pairs of supporting wheels 28and 29, which in turn revolve the idler rollers 23 and 24 which in turndrive or revolve the driven rollers 18, shaft 16, and the brush -31carried thereby.

Due to the fact that the driven. rollers 18 are much smaller than thesupporting and drive wheels 28 and 29 the brush 15-31 will turn severalrevolutions to one revolution of the supporting and drive wheels 28 and29, therefore as the nozzle N moves across the rug the tufts of bristles31 do not roll across the rug 32, but they do slide across the rug 32 ina fast sweeping movement, whereby the loosened or/and pick up hair,lint, threads and the like from the rug 32 and will carry such materialsinto the suction chamber C of the nozzle N where they are caught in andcarried with the draft of air to the suction unit 6 as above described.

It will sometimes happen that the hair, lint, etc., may become4entangled with, and will stick to the tuftsl of bristles 31 and want tostay there instead of going along with the draft of air. If thishappens, the hair, lint, etc., will be combed `from the tufts ofbristles 31 by the comb teeth 33 as thetufts of bristles 31 rotatablypass thereby and between, whereuponthe hair, lint, etc., will then becaught in the draft of air andbe carried from the suction chamber C inthe usual manner. If the material caught on the tufts of bristles 31happens to be caught o n the front side due to the direction of rotationof the brush 15-31 the comb teeth 33 may prevent the material fromtravelingwith the draft of air and out of the suction chamber C, howeveron the reverse movement of the suction nozzle N the direction ofrotation of the brush 15-31 will be reversed and the tufts of bristleswill again catch the hair,` lint, etc. that is hung on the front side ofthe comb teeth 33 and remove it therefrom and carry it around and intothe suction chamber C againwhere it will be picked from the tufts ofbristles 31 either by the draft of air or by the rear side of the comb33 from where the draft of air will catch it and carry it away in theusual manner. g As the brush 15-31 revolves, the tufts of bristles 31may bend or the ends thereof may wear away, and this may cause afrequent raising and lowering of the brush 1,5-7-31 and the axle shaft16 which in lturn willraisev and lower the driven rollers 18. Asrthedriven rollers r18 raise and lower the idler rollers 23 and 24 will alsohave to change their positionpinA order trolrnaintain their Contact withand pressure on the driven roller 18 andtheir respective supporting anddrive wheel 28 and i 29. During the changing of position of the idlerrollers 23 and 24, their supporting arms 19and 20 will have to 'movelongitudinally for short distances and their rnov'emnt'is permitted bythe slots 21 and 22 in the arms 19 and 12`and through which thesupporting screw pin 22 passes. `Whil`e this action takes'place thesprings 26 maintain the constant pressure of the idler rollers 23 and 24on the drum roller 18 and their respective drive wheel 28 and 29.

While the device as shown and described is probably the preferred formof the device, it is to be understood that such modifications of thedevice may be employed as lie within the scope of the appended claimswithout departing from the spirit and intention of the invention.

Now having fully shown and described my invention, what l claim is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner hose nozzle device of the kind described; saiddevice comprising in combination, a hose nozzle supported on two pairsof supporting wheels positioned one pair at each end of the width of thenozzle, said nozzle device having an open bottom suction chamberpostioned therein and between the two pairs of supporting wheels, arotatable brush, said rotatable brush being positioned in said suctionchamber carried on an axle that is rotatably carried in verticallymovable bearings carried by and at the ends of the hose nozzle forvariable elevated and rotatable action in said suction chamber, each endof said axle having a friction roller rigidly mounted thereon for axleand brush driving purposes, said roller being yin alignment one witheach pair ofsupporting wheels at each end of the nozzle, idler rollers,one between each supporting wheel and its respective roller on the brushaxle, and spring means for holding each idler roller in engagement withits respec-l tive supporting wheel and axle roller regardless of thevariable elevated position of the brush axle, and comb teeth carried inthe suction chamber and engageable by the said brush as it revolves'forcleaning the brush and releasing the cleanings from the comb teeth intothje ow of air through said suction chamber, and Vflexible track meansaround and from one to the other of each pair of supporting wheels forincreased driving action for the rotatable brush. 4 l f A 2. In a vacuumcleaner hose nozzle device of the kind described; said hose nozzledevice comprising a housing element having an open bottom vacuum chamberdefined therein, said chamber having a rotatable brush therein andextending the length thereof, said brushhaving an axle element, the endsof which are movable vertically Ithrough slots in the end walls thatpartially ldefine said chamber, a pair of driven rollers, said rollersbeing rigidly carried, yon'e on each end of said axle element, a pair ofwheel support mea'ns on each end of said housing elementfo'r the supportthereof, Iand means for driving said rollers and brush from said wheelsata lspeed in excess of that of said wheels; in combination with theforegoing structure; friction roller means intermediate the first saidrollers and wheels and being spring tensioned thereagainst fortransmitting power from said supporting wheelsto the `first said rollersregardless of the raised or lowered position of the first said rollers.

YRfrences vCiteii in'the le Iof thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 610,603 Haskell Sept. `13, 1898 804,213 Chaplin Nov. 14, '1905878,432 Totten Feb. v4, t1908 1,104,977 Ferguson Y ..v 'July l28, y19141,745,355 'Cooper fFeb. `4, 1930 2,178,917 Pullen Y i- No'v. 7, 19392,184,441 Smellie Dec. 26, 1939

